What my musings are all about...

Blogging might well be the 21st century's form of journaling. As a writing teacher, I have always advised my students to keep a daily journal as a way of organizing their thoughts for future writing projects, a discipline I have unfortunately never consistently practiced myself. By blogging, I might finally be able to follow my own good advice.

The difference between journaling and blogging is that the blogger opens his or her writing to the public, something journal- writers are usually reluctant to do. I am not so reticent.

The trick for me will be to avoid cluttering the internet with more blather, something none of us need more of. If I stick to subjects I know: sports and literature, I believe I can avoid that pitfall. I can't promise that I'll not stray from time to time to comment on ancillary subjects, but I will make every attempt to be interesting and perhaps even insightful.

Sunday, April 9, 2017

Odds and Ends

If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, and swims like a duck, it's a damn duck. If a golf club has two female members, and a two black members and is an invitations only membership, and not making any plans to add any more women and people of color, it's a racist and misogynist golf club. Yeah I'm talking about the Augusta National Golf Club: 99% of membership white males. And, really, up to the turn of the century all caddies had to be black? Yes'm masta. What is up with white guys? I'm a white guy and I'm getting really ashamed of my race. So, I wonder why the golfers over the years haven't brought any real pressure to bear on Augusta? Probably because the vast majority are white. Hey, I wonder are there any Asian members? Am I being sarcastic? You bet.

I'm pulling for Sergio at the Masters. As great a golfer as he is and no majors??? I'll settle for Ricky
Fowler. You gotta love his orange Oklahoma State trousers. Watch out for Rose. The Englishman is so damn steady.

Baseball season is on its way. Here's an off the wall and little known book of collected stories about baseball called KILL THE AMPAYA! The Best Latin American Baseball Fiction . Edited and translated by Dick Cluster. Terrific fun read.

Watched Kevin Durant's first game back after injury. Looks like KD will be ready to be the old KD in time for the playoffs. It's going to be real interesting to see how Coach Kerr adjusts his rotations. My wife and I are going to be traveling in Greece during the first round, so I'll have to find a taverna with a TV, but then I might become distracted by a glass of ouzo and a plate of dolmas. Good luck, Dubs!

Teams in the NBA other than the Big Boys that will be better next year, not in any particular order:

1) I like the Suns's young players to mature and become competitive. Booker and Chriss,
and Bender with a summer to improve. Lem incrementally better. High energy wide body
in Williams. One more solid draft choice away, but could surprise even without one.

2) Portland Blazers. They've finally got a big who can score and protect the paint and a summer to
find a little more muscle and an effective reserve point guard.

3) I have to give the Timberwolves some love. They just have too many athletic and talented players
to continue the status quo. If they can take Thibidaux's gruff personality and accept that they must
play D for 4 quarters, they're bound to be be contenders for a playoff spot.

4) I'm giving a nod to the Sacramento Kings. A summer of improvement for their young core: Cauley
Stein, Hield, Labisierre, Richardson, and Papagiannos. They still need a bona fide point guard,
but even if they have to go with the steady if not brilliant Collison, they should be improved.

5) I don't see much improvement in the East, but will take a chance on Washington Wizards. With
addition of Bogdanovich to stretch the floor. With a training camp, he might be the difference
maker for a roster that contains lots of talent. Sometimes it only takes one addition.

6) Philly, but only if Embid comes back healthy and can stay healthy. He is indeed a stud.

Why I Never Played Golf by Tom MescheryI din't trust myself. Imaginelosing a match by one strokeon the eighteenth green, his puttlonger than mine. He sinks itfor a birdie and I sink mine for par, and I have my putterin my hand and a bad temperand he is smiling at me.You understand, smiling.

2 comments:

I am hosting a Warrior & St Mary's event alongside the SF Giants on Wednesday April 26th for the Giants vs Dodger game! With that being said we would be honored to have you throw out the first pitch since you hold a high honor amongst both organization/university. My email is Giuliana@alpha8entertainment.com we would love confirm if you are interested!

I am hosting a Warrior & St Mary's event alongside the SF Giants on Wednesday April 26th for the Giants vs Dodger game! With that being said we would be honored to have you throw out the first pitch since you hold a high honor amongst both organization/university. My email is Giuliana@alpha8entertainment.com we would love confirm if you are interested!

Thomas Meschery, a son of Russian immigrants, he became the first international player to play in an NBA All-Star Game in 1963.

An All-American success story. Born in China in 1938, he came to the U.S. with his parents after WW II. An All-American at Lowell High School, San Francisco, and St. Mary's College, Moraga, California. He was the youngest player to named a first team AAU All-American. NBA Star for ten seasons. Noted as one of the toughest players in the NBA. His jersey number has been retired by both St. Mary's and Golden State Warriors. Inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Tom has published two books of poetry, 'Over the Rim' and 'Nothing You Lose Can Be Replaced' and a fourth-coming book of verse, 'Some Men'. He was inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame in 2000.